We haven’t been doing much traveling lately, but we did a morning trip to the very southern end of the Willamette Valley to the quaint town of Cottage Grove.

The historic Main Street is probably most famous for the parade scene at the end of the movie, “Animal House”. The core of the district is about three blocks long and hasn’t changed much since filming days. 🙂 The town leaders have kept the charm and are refreshing the faded murals and adding more.

The mural of silent film star Buster Keaton greets you as you enter downtown. He starred in “The General” way back when and lived in the Cottage Grove Hotel during the six months of filming. Now the hotel houses some apartments in the upper levels and a fantastic restaurant called Buster’s Main Street Cafe in the street level. Trust me when I say it is worth the drive! Stuffed French Toast with candied bacon, Eggs Benedict and Elk Shank Ossobuco are just a few of our favorites!

But I digress….. 🙂 Cottage Grove is a charming place to spend some time.

There is even a quilt store within these historic blocks! Pandora’s Box is full of fabric treasures and today I picked up these. The seascape is one of the new laser printed fabrics, which looks just like a photograph (these pictures really don’t do the fabric justice!).

Strip and Run. Yes, you just read that correctly. Do I have your attention?

This past week I have been camped in Rahab’s story (Joshua 1-6). I have been challenged by her story in a refreshing, new way. I found myself absolutely inspired by Rahab’s faith. Not that God used a prostitute, not that God delivered his promises – – Rahab’s faith. And I think that’s the point.

As you read Rahab’s story you will find that she has a willing heart. She immediately jumps into a dangerous situation and trusts that God will provide. Now keep in mind that Rahab at this point does not even know who God is. Her faith is based off of only what she has heard. Gossip in a way really. Yet she so willingly puts faith in God and trusts that He is sovereign. If you look at Hebrews 11:31 “BY…

As I was leaving the quilt shop in Nyssa, Oregon, I spotted the White Satin sugar factory. I realized it had been the second stop in a good friend’s new career as a long-haul trucker, so I stopped to send him a picture as a reminder/souvenir of his Nyssa to Los Angeles trip. 🙂

That’s when I tripped down Memory Lane! Right there in the parking lot. Do you know what this is??

It’s an official weather station for the National Weather Service. When I was young (6th grade), I was responsible for a station just like this in the mountains of Central Idaho. It was one of my first jobs! 🙂

Every morning I had to trudge up the hill on the ranger station where we lived and record the readings. The thermometer inside could record the high and the low temperatures each day.

There was a rain gauge attached outside the box and I would have to measure and record any moisture. If the precipitation was in the form of snow, I had to use a ruler to measure what had fallen into the larger metal gauge (looked like a pitcher) and then take it to the house and melt the snow on the stovetop to determine who much precipitation had fallen. Light, powdery snow contains less moisture than wet, heavy snow, so sometimes 6 inches of newly fallen snow would yield less moisture than just an inch of wetter snow. All that measuring leads to average daily, monthly or annual precipitation rates you hear the weather people talking about. (Click on the photo below to enlarge and read)

Then, before 8am, I would have to make a collect call to the National Weather Service office in Lewiston, Idaho, and report my data — high, low, current temp., precipitation, and current conditions (sunny, cloudy, snowing, etc.) 🙂 I don’t remember how much I was paid, but I remember thinking it was pretty cool to see my data in the newspaper or hear it on the radio!

There may be a few stations like this still active around the country, but most have been replaced with computerized stations. I just have one question about those – ‘how does a computer melt the snow?!’ 🙂 🙂

Back on the road, returning to Boise, I found another reminder of my childhood.

Yep! Parma, Idaho, still has a drive-in theatre and it plays new releases!

It was always a special treat to visit a drive-in. Mom would make a grocery sack full of buttery, salty popcorn and we got cans of pop! Dressed in our pajamas, we got to play on the playground equipment below the big screen until dark when the movie started. I am sure all the movies had endings, but sometimes we fell asleep in the back of the station wagon! 🙂

I have to say, Idaho has some pretty fancy rest stops. This one is just east of the Snake River – also known as the Idaho/Oregon border (or the Oregon/Idaho border!).

Not only can you “rest”, you can soak up some local history as well. 🙂

After arriving in Boise for the night, I backtracked the next morning to Nyssa, Oregon, to go to the quilt store that I couldn’t get to before they closed. Normally, I wouldn’t do that, but I just had to have this fabric license plate and row. (Really, what Oregon quilter could pass up this one?! Lol)

This row is perfect for this area because Marilynn’s Pickets and Patches is practically on the Oregon Trail! While driving back to Boise, I decided to treat myself to some real Oregon Trail history.

In the town of Parma, Idaho, you can find the Fort Boise museum. It is a replica of the original fort.

Sadly, I was here on the wrong day to see the inside, but will definitely come back sometime.

Outside the fort, there is a statue of a Native American woman with a baby and small child.

The woman is Marie Dorion and her story is fascinating! She was the only female in the Astor Expedition party. I have read a book about her life and incredible struggle, so it was exciting to realize I was standing on ground she may have walked on so many years ago. 😉

In case you can’t read the sign, Marie and her two children were the only survivors of an Indian massacre in the middle of January in the early 1800’s. She took them on horseback and later by foot through the Blues Mountains of Oregon in the dead of winter until they were rescued in April by a Columbia River tribe.

I also discovered a surprising trail down memory lane, but will save it for my next post! 😉

One advantage to traveling alone is you can stop whenever and where ever you want! So of course I planned a few Row by Row Experience stops. 🙂

First stop: The Stitchin’ Post quilt shop, home of the world’s largest outdoor quilt show. The Sisters Quilt Show celebrated it’s 40th show this year and I missed it again! It’s always on the second Saturday of July and I seem to always have a conflict, but it is definitely on my bucket list.

However, I did get to pick up the free row pattern for this. I know Hubby will like this one because of the fish! 🙂

There are three shops in Bend participating in the Row by Row, so I started at the south end with BJ’s Quilt Basket. Notice the sidewalk design at the store entrance. 😉

They have created a beautiful row featuring Sparks Lake in the Cascade Mountains. The kit is all laser cut and ready to fuse on the background fabric.

They even framed a row for a wall hanging, which I may try to do. 🙂

The second shop was “new to me” and I will definitely go back some time! 🙂

Sew Many Quilts looks small on the outside, but is quite big and has many hanging samples designed to inspire!

Silly me, I thought I had taken a picture of their row, but didn’t, so I have borrowed one from their website to show you.

Just before leaving Bend, I popped into Quiltworks. It’s a nice shop with an ever-changing quilt gallery upstairs.

With the Bend shops behind me, I headed east to Burns. If you haven’t visited Country Lane Quilts, you might find it hard to believe that this shop in the middle of Oregon has more than 7000 bolts of fabric! (Yes, you read that right!)

I also can’t believe I forgot to take pictures inside this store, but I guess I got to visiting about their remodeling job and…well, here is their row (borrowed from the Oregon RxR page):

I really wanted to try and make it all the way across Oregon to Nyssa before the day was done and the shop there closed, but I traveled with a thunderstorm and heavy rains until I reached the Idaho border AND I forgot about the time change!! Oh well, at least I made it to Boise by nightfall. 🙂

So it’s not nearly as much fun traveling alone, but since I am solo for the annual trek to Boise this summer to see family I thought I would make the most of it by including a few stops along the way…starting with brunch in McKenzie Bridge (technically Rainbow). Be warned — if you pass up Chicken-on-a-Stick, you will be sorry!

According to the clerks, people have been known to drive MILES to the Blue Sky Market for these treats, which is juicy chicken breast seasoned just right. When I asked the clerk if I could take photos for my blog, two customers passing through the area decided to try them as well! Trust me, it’s the perfect meal to take with you as you head over Santiam Pass to Central Oregon. Although if you are driving like me, you will definitely want to remove the sticks first! 🙂